no, i mean they really suck, with a vacuum cleaner (click on the photo to see the vacuum cleaner in his hands). Every month or so I go to a place called "it's" to get my hair cut. If you are familiar with Sagamiono it is the old Sonne Swiss Cafe.

This place is great, only 1000 yen for a hair cut and no frills. Most discount hairdressers charge you for a shampoo even when you don't need it and end up charging you again for that little bit of gel or wax they style your hair with. I always hate paying for that stuff because I go directly to the washroom and re-style my hair the way I like it anyway.

I remeber this one discount barber shop in the basement of Yamato station that had sign out side reading 1000 yen/10 min, and no change allowed. You had to pay with a 1000 yen bill, 2-500 yen coins, sorry no good. The rules there might have chaged since then though. Over all "it's" is a great place full of mystery, I never know what I'm going to look like every time. I use the same picture from a men's hair magazine and it seems that every stylist has his or her own interpretation. The photo I show them is like Brad Pitt from Seven but my friendly stylist Mihoko makes me look like Jim Carey from Dumb and Dumber. That's okay, they did give me a free bottle of sesame salad dressing....???

taken outside Kokuryo Station on the Keio line.

Well with thanks to Kurt Easterwood I finaly got my sidebar moblog up and running, complete with a photo that I did not take. It is not that I'm lazy and stole someones photo, i just don't have a camera phone. Hello everyone, my name is Mark and I do not have a kamera ketai. There, I said it and feel better now. If you are not familar with Japan the photo in my moblog is of Landmark tower in Yokohama. It is, or was up untill last year the tallest building in Japan. Once the new A5402S comes out i'll be sending up my own moblog content.

I know this is completely off topic but I gotta tell this story. Just now 2 men came to our door and made it sound like they were there replacing all the filters above the gas ranges in the mansion. Once in a while people from the appartment agency do come by and do things like check the carbon monoxide alarm, clean out the drains etc. at no cost of course. These guys came in and started installing this new filter and as they were fitting it the other gentlemen started his sales pitch on how great these filters were and how all the house wives loved them, blah, blah, blah... you get the point. Then comes the price.

Masako: why do we have to pay extra if it is required by the appartment agency? (that is what rent is for) Sales man: ahh, yes. We are not exactly from the agency. Masako: So you guys are just salesmen? Sales man: ahhh, yes. (in a lot more words) Me: get the F*%#! out. (in a lot more words)

anyone who knows the Japanese language knows that it is not very polite to talk very directly to others or make your point too early. You drop hints at what you are tring to get at and take the scenic route around to make your point. so my little breakdown of the conversation is far from beiing word for word or a direct translation.

I'm in pain! Feels like a dull butter knife has been jabbed in between both of my shoulder blades and there are rusty screws, no nails being nailed into my neck. The reason you ask is this website. I feel like i have been working on it non stop for the last week and my arms and wrists are locked in a forward position. I had a weblog at my old site but it was just text and the the design, well there was none. Just so you know I am not a professional web guru, incase you haven't figured that one out yet (very far from it). Now where was I... oh yeah the pain! I have horrible posture and sitting infront of a computer all day doesn't help, but this blogging thing is addicting. I had better get some exercise this weekend.

no, not yet actually. I swear I'm like the only geek that has yet to see this film. The original Matrix I saw twice in Victoria and one more time when it came out here in Japan, and rented/downloaded numerous times. That's my ticket above. I don't know what others think but I'm finding it reallly hard to not read Reloaded reviews by accident every day. First week it was released overseas every day I saw an article in google news. Even when I'm warned "The review on the blog page is designed to be spoiler-free" i still don't wanna take the chance. But I did read the Matrix Reloaded review by ex-New York Times reporter Jayson Blair. If you read that one could you please send me the link, I can't seem to find it again.

Masako and I took Otosan and Okasan out for a yaki-niku dinner on Saturday to celebrate a late mother's day. We had been to this restaurant 5 min drive from Shin-Matsuda station many times but I saw something I have never laid my eyes on in the almost 4 years here in Japan. Cow stomach, and trust me it looks worse then it sounds. And to kill the taste of the cow guts how about some raw ground beef topped off with a, you guessed it, a raw egg. That reminds me I really gotta check out that parasite museum in Meguro.

About 6:27 by my watch there was a huge earthquake. I have never felt such a big earthquake since about 6 months after l arrived in Japan and was staying with Masako's parents. At the time I just thought it was some strong wind cause the window shutters were shaking and raddling. This one measured 7 in northeastern Japan and about 4 here, but did not seem to cause any major damage. for you viewing pleasure here are some photos and videos of the English NHK broadcast I just watched. Now I gotta get some food in me. Video is here 1.7MB 2.2MB 5.1MB 13.6MB

Masako and I went to see the doctor yesterday and it took 3 hours from the time we walked it to the time we could pay and leave. The problem see is that even though Aiku Hospital is very beautiful and clean they do not take appointments. Yeah, this is not a typo. They do not take appointments! Everyone just shows up as early as they can and waits for their turn. They give you a wrist band that vibrates when it is your turn to move up to your next station. So basically you end up using up half your day waiting to see the doctor for 10 min. Complaining aside, I forget all about it when I can listen to my daughters' heart beat and see her wiggling around on the ultrasound. I took a short video of the doppler heart beat check. If you would like to view you can download it here.

...but remember your gameboy and don't leave the damn parking lot this time! I'm sure we have all seen this one time or another, or we might have even been like this when we were their age. Me, I blame the city planning, or lack there of. During the new year holiday Masako and I went to visit some friends who lived very close to what was called the Kanagawa Science park. When we got to their station I asked "so where is this Kanagawa park?" "your looking at it." he replied pointing to the building complex housing a hotel and R and D offices. Around back there was a large patch of green grass closed off with a sign that read, "Keep off, only use for disaster evacuation" and right beside the forbidden green was an asphalt play ground where the kids were alowed to use. I wish I had my camera that day!

Just heard my friend Marco and long time girl friend signed their marriage papers yesterday and tonight we came out for a few beers in Machida. Again congratulations you two and can't wait till the wedding. By the way, that is me in the blue baseball cap dazed and confused.

Japanese TV, it can either Suck or Kick Ass! I have never heard the term "reality TV" over here because there is nothing else, it is all reality TV. I watched this show tonight called Money no Tora where some eager entrepreneurs stand infront of 4 or 5 rich investors and pitches his dream hoping they will pile up the cash. And I mean PILE up the cash! The desk in front of the "investers" is piled high with stacks of 10,000 yen bills. The guy in todays show was a rave dj wanting something like 100,000 Dollars to start up his own record label, and walked out with 8,200,000 yen in CASH! Here are some pics.

It's been a while since I've been into the city. Masako and I headed up to Ebisu to see Masako's friend from Victoria and her year old daughter Moe. First time for me to meet her, and what a cutie she is! To get back to the ketai story, I went to Hit Shop last night to get the new A1301S. When the clerk found out that my current phone was only 4 months old he just said "Muri" and I could not get the discount on the phone and end up paying 40,000 yen for it! ... that was it. So we walked out confused. It is a very strange feeling when someone will not take your money, its like, I give you money... you give me a product or service... simple, no. Turns out that AU requires you to have your ketai for 10 months or more before you can upgrade you phone. We visited the AU shop in Sagamiono later today and they were much more help then the dropouts at Hit Shop. She explained that I could just cancel my contract with AU, pay a 1,000 yen fine, and sign up again. That way I can get a new phone at discounted price but have to get a new # a 080 number no doubt. She told me to wait for the new A5402S that will be coming out sometime next month. So I think I'll wait to see that new one and by that time the A1301S will be even cheaper. I REALLY wanna get moblogging soon.